Orji Kalu: Soludo will eventually join APC — he has no alternative

Orji Uzor Kalu, senator representing Abia north, says Chukwuma Soludo, governor of Anambra, will “eventually” join the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Kalu spoke with journalists before the senate plenary on Tuesday.

Soludo defeated APC’s Nicholas Ukachukwu by over 300,000 votes to win the Anambra governorship election held on Saturday.

Kalu said Soludo, a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), aligns ideologically with APC leaders.

“I think after all the court cases, he is a progressive like myself, President Tinubu, and the senate president,” he said.

“Soludo is a progressive. He will come to APC. In fact, it is confirmed that he will join APC. He has no other alternative.”

Speaking on speculations that Alex Otti, governor of Abia and member of the Labour Party (LP), may defect to the APC, Kalu said no one is being coerced.

“Neither I nor other senators, the senate president, or President Tinubu have ever forced anybody to join our party,” he said.

Kalu said he respects Otti, but will work fully for the APC in Abia.

Asked whether he would support his brother, Mascot Uzor Kalu, who is interested in the 2027 Abia governorship race, he said party loyalty would guide his choice.

“If my brother is APC, I will support my brother. If the governor is from another party, I will fight against him. It’s very simple,” he said.

On the 2027 presidential election, Kalu said Tinubu has no serious challenger.

He acknowledged that while the macroeconomic outlook is improving, citizens are still grappling with daily hardship.

“The election is Tinubu vs Tinubu. What is left is for this progress to trickle down to the masses,” he said.

Kalu said agricultural revival and improved security will be key to easing the economic pressure on Nigerians.